Advertising sign



w. H.- HUNTLEY ADVERTISING SIGN Dec. 29, 1942.

me@ Aug. 1e". 1940' ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNiTED STTES OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to advertising signs'and more especially to signs using wire mesh for the purpose of furnishing a foundation upon which the advertising matter is placed.

Wire mesh while advantageous to the advertiser from many angles, has presented many problems and it has been found that many substances are not satisfactory when used on` the wire mesh to establish a base upon which to place or paint the advertising matter.

With this in mind the present invention provides a base which adheres readily to the wire mesh, forms a smooth yet firm surface, will not crack or peel, and is flexible and translucent in character, for painting or printing upon by any method or material or for receiving decalcomania transfers.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the Wire mesh foundation.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the foundation and showing a membrane shrunk on the face of the wire mesh in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is a front elevation showing the membrane and advertising matter on the membrane.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the wire mesh foundation.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the foundation and membrane.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the foundation, membrane and advertising design.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention in which two advertising designs, one in reverse, are visible respectively from the front of the sign and from the back of the sign.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various Views, I0 designates a wire mesh foundation to which a laminated base II is applied to form a surface for receiving advertising matter. The method of forming the base consists of, first, providing a cellulose translucent. membrane I2, such as tissue (wood cellulose) thin, silk, cotton, rayon, linen, or any other cellulose` material; second, dipping the membrane on one.A side, or both sides, in liquid cellulose to provide.-

an adhesive translucent layer I3 thereon; third.. placing the dipped side or adhesive layer in contact with the wire screen foundation I0; fourth drying the product; and, fifth, applying a trans-- lucent backing I4 to the product.

Preferably the membrane I2 is dipped in liquid cellulose, such as airplane dope, either nitrate orA acetate, or clear lacquer, or any other similar material, and the membrane is laid upon the wire mesh foundation I0 while said foundation is in a flat or horizontal position so that the membrane dipped side, that is, the adhesive layer I3, rests upon and around the humps formed at the intersections of the woven Wire of the Wire mesh foundation I0. the mesh become imbedded in the viscous cellulose layer I3. When dried the layer I3 will bond the membrane I2 to the wire mesh foundation II). In practice, the liquid cellulose layer I3 penetrates the cellulose membrane or layer I2, and While drying exerts shrinking action which causes the membrane to shrink taut from hump to hump of the wire mesh and form a suitable plane surface to subsequently receive advertising matter.

The drying step should be controlled as to temperature and time to prevent too slow drying as this might cause the membrane I2 to sag instead of stretching to a smooth even surface layer on the wire mesh. The membrane or layer I2 may be of any shape, such for instance that shown in Figure 2, and need not conform in any Way to the direction of the mesh of the screen.

The final step of forming the sign consists of lling the Wire mesh Ill back of the membrane I2 with a liquid synthetic resin material to form a. backing layer I4. The layer may be applied with a brush or spread or flowed into the interstices between and upon the wire mesh. The backing layer I4 bonds the adhesive layer I3, and the membrane, to the wire mesh and encloses the These humps or high spots in However, the use of these other materials may effect the flexibility of the wire mesh.

The sign constructed as above explained allows light to pass therethrough from either side creating a pleasing illuminated effect.

Figure 7 shows a modification of the sign in which advertising matter, characters, or other designs, I5 may be applied to the membrane layer I2 which permits the advertising matter I5, in reverse, beingv read through the backing layer I4 of the sign while other advertising matter may be read from the front of the sign. To accomplish this a layer I6 of Opaque paint or material is applied to the front side of the advertising matter I5, and then a design or advertising matter I'I is applied to this layer to be read from the iront of the sign. Thus an advertising sign carrying two advertisements is created reading correctly from front or rear. The same eifect can be created by applying a two-sided opaque decalcomana transfer to the laminated base II.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A sign comprising, a wire mesh foundation, a. translucent fibrous membrane under stress on the front side of the foundation, advertising matter on the membrane, a translucent adhesive layer of cellulose material interposed between the foundation and the membrane bonding the membrane under stress upon the foundation, and a translucent backing layer of resin material on the rear side of the foundation bonding the adhesive layer to the foundation and forming a solid ilexible transparent wall with the wire mesh enclosed and imbedded-therein.

2. A sign comprising, a wire mesh foundation, a translucent brous membrane on the front side of the foundation, a translucent adhesive layer of cellulose material interposed between the foundation and the membrane bonding the membrane under stress upon the foundation, a translucent backing layer of resin material on the rear side of the foundation bonding the adhesive layer to the foundation and forming a solid flexible transparent wall with the Wire mesh enclosed and imbedded therein, advertising matter in reverse on the membrane to be readable correctly from the back of the sign, an opaque coating on the advertising matter, and advertising matter on the opaque coating readable correctly from the front of the sign.

WRIGHT H. HUNTLEY. 

